Friends and neighbors,
Along with the weather, things are heating up at the Capitol and legislative deadlines are fast approaching. While there is no yearly deadline for the introduction of bills, each year the Legislature establishes deadlines for committee action on bills. Committee deadlines are announced during the first half of a session in order to winnow the list of topics to be dealt with that year:
- First Deadline (Friday March 12th) – deadline for committees to act favorably on bills in the house of origin
- Second Deadline (Friday March 19th) – deadline for committees to act favorably on bills, or companions of bills, that met the first deadline in the other house
- Third Deadline (Friday April 9th) – deadline for committees to act favorably on major appropriation and finance bills
LEGISLATIVE RECAP
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
A Bill was introduced this week to ensure businesses are not penalized for keeping employees on payroll through COVID. The Senate is pushing for Minnesota to conform to the federal taxation guidelines for PPP loans.
- These were forgivable loans given to small businesses under the guise that it would help them make ends meet and keep their employees on the payroll, without state or federal taxes being applied
- Now business owners throughout the state are on the hook for these high taxes that were not intended for them
- At the federal level, they are doing it right and have taken away the tax. Minnesotans are already taxed enough, taxing them on this is unconscionable after the year they have had. I remain hopeful that we can move quickly to conform to the federal guidelines and save Minnesota businesses along the way
Businesses (over 100,000 MN businesses utilized these loans) have suffered enough and Minnesota is better financially than we expected to be, so we shouldn’t be punishing businesses for using these loans to make sure their employees had an income during such a volatile time.
- If this doesn’t pass, we’re leaving the tax burden to fall on business owners that needed it the most after having their doors closed by Governor Walz. We need to do the right thing for small businesses
Social Studies Standards Changes
Back in December 2020, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) released proposed standard changes for social studies curriculum. A second draft, published in February, was sent to the Commissioner of Education.
The first draft of the proposed standards omitted portions of several major historical events:
- American Revolution – identification of historically significant people during revolution; involvement of other nations; reason for America’s victory
- Civil War – cause of war; main ideas of the debate over slavery and states’ rights
- WWII – – social, political and economic causes of war; nations involved; political figures; battles; political impacts
- Holocaust – references to the Nazi regime and Jewish people
- Pledge of Allegiance history and flag etiquette
In place of the above omissions, MDE is proposing the following radical changes:
- “Learn to recognize unfairness, stereotypes, and bias on the individual level and injustice at the institutional or systemic level” – this is a proposed new benchmark for first graders
- “Define freedom and democracy, and examine how different groups have been included or excluded from the ideals over American history”
- “Describe the tactics used by the US government to claim Indigenous and Mexican land” -an examination of manifest destiny
Under current law, the Minnesota Department of Educations is authorized to “review” and “revise” state social studies standards on a regular cycle.
- But that law was only intended for necessary corrections and updates. It was never meant to give a governor the authority to radically change the curriculum for every public-school student in Minnesota.
The new standards are long on ideology and short on accurate history and knowledge-based learning. These proposed changes rob students of basic knowledge and understanding of their shared cultural heritage.
- We are open to new ideas and new perspectives, but not at the expense of fundamental topics and fairness
- There is no room for activism in our schools; we must focus on the essentials
- For more in-depth information, please click here
Reinsurance
On Monday Mar 1, the Minnesota Senate passed legislation to extend Minnesota’s successful reinsurance program for another year. Extending the program ensures insurance rates in the individual market will remain stable, and without any additional cost to the taxpayers.
- In 2016 insurance premiums for the individual market increased by double digits, as high as 49%, due to changes from the Affordable Care Act. Furthermore, many counties only had one insurance company to choose from. Minnesota continues to enjoy some of the lowest rates in the country, every county has at least two providers, and a new provider has started offering plans in the state
- IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE TO GET RID OF THIS PROGRAM DURING A PANDEMIC WHEN MINNESOTANS CAN NOT AFFORD PREMIUM INCREASES
Minnesotans can’t afford the defunding of our healthcare market just so Governor Walz can balance his own budget. We need to keep the market stable, and we can only do that if we renew this program.
Fun stuff to break up the doom & gloom:
- March is Women’s History Month, Red Cross Month & Social Workers Month
- The second week of March is National Bubble Week. The event, which originated in 2000, is a way to celebrate the start of Spring
- Saturday March 6th is Dentist’s Day…thank a DDS and don’t forget to floss
- Sunday March 7th is Cereal Day…Raisin Bran Crunch is one of my favorites
- Friday March 12th is Girl Scouts Day – Buy some extra cookies and help out a local troop
District happenings:
White Earth Home Health Clinics are Boosting COVID-19 Vaccination rates in Becker, Mahnomen, and Clearwater
That’s all for this week’s update. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me to share any thoughts, concerns, or questions you may have. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-9651 or by email at sen.paul.utke@senate.mn
Have a great week!
Paul Utke